Timberlink is running a campaign encouraging more women to get involved in the forestry and logging industry, a predominant employer of men. Headlining the company’s diversity campaign are Timberlink Tarpeena Mill operation excellence manager Denise Morrison and Carley Murphy, a treatment re-wrap operational excellence manager.
Originally from Melbourne, Ms Morrison started working night shifts at Hyne Timber, where she eventually became dry mill production manager. Her interest in lean manufacturing led her into a business excellence role supporting all managers and personnel on site to implement change and improvements. When asked what some of the main challenges were for her in forestry, Ms Morrison said where she started in a small town, the boys were very ‘boysy’.
“It wasn’t until some people came from outside the town that women began to be promoted through the business,” she said. “However, I’ve been very lucky in that the people I’ve worked with and companies have been great. “There are always some guys around that try to be more dominant, but I won’t put up with it. I’m probably one of the lucky ones in that it hasn’t affected me.”
Carley Murphy is a dry mill treatment re-wrap operational excellence manager who made the leap to forestry after a three-year stint in real estate. Ms Murphy said she didn’t believe there were any challenges as a woman in the industry. One of the nation’s largest processors of timber products, Timberlink Australia believes “things are changing fast” in forestry, despite historically being the domain of men.
But according to gender segregation figures from the Australian government’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency, there’s still a long way to go for the industry to change its identity. Across the nation, the percentage of female employees in forestry hasn’t changed since 1998. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) was contacted for further clarification and stated male employment dominated across the states in the forestry industry.
“Female employment in this industry is not significant across all the states apart from Tasmania … South Australia doesn’t stand out in terms of difference in employment between males and females compared to other states,” the ABS spokesperson said.
